Refrigerator



(No Model.)`

J. C. BLAKE.

REFRIGERATOR.

No. 267,770. Nov. 21, 1882.

Y UNITED STATES PATENT Glance,

JAMES C. BLAKE, OF PETERSBURG, VIRGINIA.

REFRIGERATOR.

SP'EGIFICATION forming part of Letters `Patent No. 267,770, datedNovember 21, 1882,

Application filed July 14, 1882'.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JAMns COLEMAN BLAKE,

appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, and to letters or gures of reference markedthereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in refrigerators whereby vesselscontaining liquids may be kept cold, and removed from thecooling-chamber without opening the refrigerator and without admittingthe outer air directly to the cooling chamber or chambers proper; andthe invention consists in a refrigerator in which are combined anice-receptacle and a cooling chamber or chambers below saidicereceptacle, and means whereby vessels may be suspended or introducedinto the ice-receptacle otherwise than through its door or lid orthrough the cooling-chamber.

The invention further consists in the means employed for preventingaccess of atmospheric air in too great a volume to the ice-receptaclethrough the openings through which'vessels are introduced therein, orfrom which they are suspended when such vessels are removed for use, allas hereinafter fully described, and shown in the accompanying drawings,in

which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of a refrigerator constructedaccording to my invention, and Figs. Zand 3 are a vertical longitudinaland a like transverse section, respectively.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts in the above gnres ofdrawings.

U indicates the inclosing-case of the refrigerator, which may be of anydesired form and of any usual or preferred construction. It may bearranged intoone or more cooling-chamu bers, c, above which chambers islocated the ice-receptacle I, common to all the coolingchambers wheremorethan one are provided. The top of the refrigerator-casing does not,as is usual, constitute the lid to the ice-recepta- (No model.)

cle I, but constitutes one of the walls of the refrigerator-case, theice being introduced into the receptacle through a door, D, closing asuitable aperture in the front wall of the casing.

In the upper wall of the casing C, I form a series of apertures, thenumber ot which will depend, of course, on the size of the refrigeratoror the size of the vessels suspended or introduced therein. Theseapertures a are preferably cylindrical, and are lined with any suitablenon-conductiu g material capable of forming a closejoint with a vesselwhen the latter is placed into it. I may use for this purpose rubber,felt, cloth, or any other analogous material.

The depth of the ice-receptacle will necessarily depend, first, upon thesize ofthe refrigerator, and, second, upon the nature of the vesselsplaced in the apertures a in the top thereof. When the refrigerator isused for cooling milk the door of the ice-receptacle should besufficiently removed from the face ofthe wall ofthe casing, so as topermit of the introduction of a milk-can of usual size up to or nearlyup to its handlesthat is to say, so that the handles of the can will bein proximity to the outer face of the upper wall, w, of therefrigerator-Casin g C, to permit its withdrawal whenever required. Thislining Z also serves t0 hold vessels in pJosition by frictional contact,so that a vessel may be suspended from the apertures a. As the lining Zwould, however,not prevent the access of air to the icereceptacle I whenthe can or other vessel is removed, the apertures may beprovided withmeans for closing them. As, i'or instance, a disk-valve may be employed,which, when the can is removed, is turned over the aperture to close it.I prefer, however, to use a rubber disk, D, that has four or more slits,s, radiating from the center toward the periphery of said disk, and ofsufficient thickness to cause the lips L, formed by the said slits, toact as springs and maintain their normal posit-ion. It is evident thatby so slitting a rubber disk' IOO a practically air-tight joint, andwhen the vessel is removed from the disk the lips will again assumetheir normal position, and also form practically air-tight joints attheir linesof contact, and thus close the aperture over which they areapplied. It is also evident that by means of the slitted disks Dvessels' of a less diameter than the aperture a may be inserted into theice-receptacle, and said aperture be yet practically closed around suchvessels.

Instead of a slitted disk, a disk -having a -central opening, o, to litaround avessel of a given diameter, but of adiameter less than that ofthe aperture a, may be employed. This, however, will necessitate the useof a valve or lid to close the aperture when the vessel is removed,which is not so desirable.

Disks D, having different numbers of slits s, or having centralopenings, o, of various diameters. may be used to suit various sizes ofvessels V, and said disks may be made removable from around theapertures a, which may be accomplished by means of two clampingrings, RR', the former being permanently attached to refrigerator, and thelatter being removably connected with the former by means of screws S orotherwise; or any other suitable device for conveniently removing thedisks and applying others may be employed. I also prefer to make theperipheral lining Zot' the apertures a removable, as it is liable tospeedy wear when the vessels held therein are frequently handled, andthis may be accomplished in any convenient manner.

By means of this construction of refrigerator access may be had to thecontents of the cans or vessels V without disturbing the contents in thecooling chamber or chambers C, and the outer air that en ters throughthe openings c, where the slitted disks are dispensed with, passesdirectly into the ice-receptacle I to force the cooler air into thechamber or chambers below and to be cooled before it can reach saidchambers. On the other hand, access may be had to the contents of thecooling chamber or chambers G without disturbing the cans, and the outerair that enters into said chamber will be cooled before it reaches thecans by passing over the ice in the receptacle I.

Any suitable or usual provision may be made to carry oftl theWaste-water resulting from the melting of the ice.

This construction of refrigeratoris especially desirable for preservingarticles that are read.- ily tainted by their proximity to otherarticlessuch as butter and milk or meats and milk, &;c.

Having now described my invention, vI. claim- Il. A refrigerator havinga series of apertures, a, in direct communication with theicereceptacle, said apertures being provided with a lining,substantially such as described, whereby a lvessel may be introducedinto the ice-recept-acle from without and held suspended therein byfrictional Contact with the said 1ining, and whereby an air-tight jointis obtained at the same time between the lining and the vessel,substantially as and for the purposes specified.y

2. A refrigerator in which are combined an ice-receptacle, one or morerefrigerating-chambers below said ice-receptacle, and aperturescommunicating with the latter and the eXterior of the refrigerator, theflexible disks D, applied to said apertures as described, andsubstantially as and for the purposes specified.

3. A refrigerator in which are combined an ice-receptacle, 4one or morecooling-chambers below said ice-receptacle, and apertures communicatingwith the latter, and the exterior of 8o the refrigerator provided with ayielding or flexible lining, the flexible disks D, remova- JAMES COLEMANBLAKE.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. GooDwYN, FIDELLAH MARYNARD ELLIS.

